Feds: Sex offenders are hired at schools

by Mary Beth Marklein - Dec. 16, 2010 12:00 AMUSA Today

Registered sex offenders are getting jobs in schools as teachers, administrators, volunteers and contractors, despite state laws that prohibit them from contact with children, a government-watchdog report says.

School officials in some states enable misconduct to continue by ignoring red flags at hiring or by covering up the firing of sex offenders, according to the report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.

The report, obtained by USA Today, is based on a review of 15 cases in 11 states over the past decade involving people with histories of sexual misconduct working in public or private schools. Of those, 11 offenders previously had targeted children, and six abused more children in their new jobs.

About 35 states have laws restricting offenders from schools, and most states require criminal-history checks, though specifics vary widely, the report found.

A 2004 Education Department study estimates that millions of kids in kindergarten through 12th grade are victims of sexual misconduct by a school employee at some point.

The GAO report notes that most sexual abuse of children goes unreported. In one study it cites, 232 child molesters admitted molesting a total of 17,000 victims.

"Every school in this country has a responsibility to protect its students from sexual predators on campus," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, calling the report "shocking."